05.10.07

A couple of years back, I made a preliminary list of Figures Of Such Cultural Magnitude, they should’ve each been granted Get-Outta-Jail status for anything below murder or rape. An unforgiveable omission from that short list was all past, present or future members of Brookyn’s ESG. The following NY1.com item comes courtesy of Wojohowicz.

The Brooklyn D.A.’s office announced Wednesday that four New York City Transit workers have been charged with scamming the city out of more than $70,000 in workers’ compensation money.

District Attorney Charles Hynes said the workers collected money for injuries they exaggerated or never sustained. The cases are not related; all four are charged with grand larceny and various counts of fraud.

Hynes says car inspector Ricardo Yolas was caught running a business in the Poconos. Train operator Louis Guadagni was seen running and walking comfortably, even though he complained he could not stand for long periods of time.

Bus driver Steven Sanfilipo complained about back pain, but was seen doing heavy lifting and running a real estate business.

Another bus driver, Valerie Scroggins collected compensation while traveling to Europe to tour with a rock band and was seen on video performing in Dublin. She claimed she had a shoulder injury.

Yeah, well, apparently the District Attorney isn’t familar with “Sample Credits Don’t Pay Our Bills.” Look, Chuck, more enlightened nations than ours either cough up grant money for their great artists or at the very least, hook them up a lavish Soul Jazz Records reissue program. In the so-called land of the free, where the Scroggins family oughta be considered royalty, grandstanding public servants like yourself persecute our cultural pioneers. Perhaps this is out of your jurisdiction, but if you’re looking for an abuse of the public trust, look no further than Andrew Giuliani’s ineffective Dad.